As the Trump saga continues to unfold, it’s anyone’s guess as to what the end result will be, because the man in the oval office has an affinity for sending mixed signals. One day he’s super tough (like taking out 20 percent of Syria’s air force in four minutes), the next day he’s wavering on the wall, middleclass tax reform, and repealing Obamacare.

Hopefully I’m wrong, but increasingly Trump appears to be lending an ear to too many globalist and establishment types and easing away from the tough, crystal-clear message he consistently delivered to his small-government, drain-the-swamp, America-first base during the election.

In that regard, one of the people who makes me a bit nervous is Princess Ivanka. Her subtle — and sometimes no so subtle — remarks about such traditional Radical Left favorites as government-paid childcare, equal pay for women, and the need to help in the fight against the crown-jewel hoax of the Radical Left, “manmade climate change,” are not good omens.

Ivanka’s mysterious husband (whom I have yet to hear speak), Jared Kushner, also makes me uneasy. For one thing, he’s been a longtime Democratic supporter, and now rumors are circulating that he may be trying to drive a wedge between his father-in-law and Steve Bannon.

If so, I hope he fails in that effort, because Bannon is the intellectual force behind Trump’s newfound conservatism. He’s a take-no-prisoners type of guy who truly understands what the Radical Left is about and the dangers it poses to America’s survival. What I like most about him is that he has repeatedly echoed my own message of warning Trump supporters to never become overconfident or let their guard down, because the Radical Left never gives up. It’s a critical message that needs to be oft repeated, yet no one else has even touched on it.

If Bannon is ousted from the White House, it could very well be the end of the Trump populist, America-first movement. Obnoxious and childish as he may be to many Republicans, the fact still remains that Trump is probably the only human being on earth who could have pulled off the 2016 presidential-election miracle of beating Horrible Hillary with a populist message.

If Bannon is given his walking papers, I can’t imagine anyone (at least anyone who is electable) having the courage to run on a drain-the-swamp platform again. And even if they did, it’s unlikely they could win. Trump was able to pull off his election miracle mainly because he ran against the most hated and weakest presidential candidate in modern times — perhaps in the entire history of the United States.

Now, Mitch McConnell, the RINO version of Harry Reid, is pushing the possibility of fellow RINO Mitt Romney running for Orrin Hatch’s Senate seat in 2018. Which could be a double whammy aimed at the Trump base, because bipartisan advocate Jason Chaffetz is eyeing the same seat. Either of these scoundrels would only add to Trump’s difficulties in getting his agenda into high gear.

In my view, if there is to be a true Make America Great result, Trump has to up the ante and move even more quickly than he has to date. America’s greatest enemy is not Russia, Iran, or even ISIS. America’s greatest enemy is entrenched right here in our homeland, and it goes by the name of Democratic Party. It has become a front for the Radical Left, whose goal it is to destroy what’s left of American values, American exceptionalism, and the Constitution.

As I have said many times, as with ISIS, merely containing the Radical Left is not an acceptable alternative. The goal should be to totally eradicate this lying group of big-government worshippers, and I believe Steve Bannon is the one guy who really understands that.

If Trump did everything he promised to do during his campaign, I believe most Radical Left candidates would go down in flames in 2018 and 2020, which would leave the Democratic Party with virtually no power or influence in the nation’s capital. But of course we all know that Trump can’t do everything he promised.

Which would be okay, provided he is prepared to play hardball with those who are relentlessly working to bring him down. And, for starters, that would mean ignoring the Democrats’ phony calls for “bipartisanship” and “working across the aisle.” These are nothing more than intimidating euphemisms for yielding to the Radical Left and its globalist, anti-American agenda.

As I said in my article “Trump and the Desire to Be Loved,” Trump also has to make up his mind to ignore the never-ending, ridiculous Democratic calls for recusals and resignations. The Nevin Nunes recusal from heading up the investigation of Russian interference in our elections was ridiculous and yet another signal to the Dirty Dems that they can get their way, no matter how absurd their demands, if they just yell and scream long enough and loud enough.

Trump needs to throw down the gauntlet: No more recusals. No more resignations. Just because the Dirty Dems come up with some wild conspiracy theory involving Trump or any other Republican, with no factual basis for an investigation, is not a reason for anyone to recuse himself — or to even undertake an investigation in the first place.

Above all, an integral part of Trump’s hardball agenda should be a commitment to think nuclear option first, not last. That’s right, use the nuclear option any time and every time you believe you can get away with it. Republicans should adopt Harry Reid’s motto: Laws are made to be broken, and, when all else fails, new rules can be created to fit the current situation. Translation: The best way to defeat Radical Left criminals is to use their own weapons against them.

Gee, it seems like only yesterday that we were having so much fun listening to Trump talking about Little Marco, Lyin’ Ted, and low-energy Jeb. Compared to where we are today, it all sounds so innocent now.

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+Robert Ringer is an American icon whose unique insights into life have helped millions of readers worldwide. He is also the author of two New York Times #1 bestselling books, both of which have been listed by The New York Times among the 15 best-selling motivational books of all time.

31 responses to “It’s Time to Play Hardball”

You're correct regarding Jared Kushner. He is basically a Democrat in Republican clothing.

I still support President Trump for the same reasons I supported him during the election campaign. I never figured Bannon would last through the first term. Trump burns through people at an above average rate, so don't be surprised if Rex, Mad Dog, Bannon and even Jared remain by the end of Trump's first term. Jared might end up being Trump's closest advisor or he might end up on a permanent ski vacation. Trump might end up playing golf with Chuck Schumer more than he does Rand Paul. With Trump you never know….. We might wake up one morning to find that Kim Jong-un is dead and China blinked when Trump sent in Seal Team Six. Or we could wake up ( or not) to a mushroom cloud. Nothing surprises me. Nothing. I wouldn't be surprised if President Trump invited Hillary and Bill over for tea and a new photo shoot smiling and locking arms with him and Mlania…..

if Trump is to play hardball against the rad left, he must aggressively investigate, prosecute and imprison their leadership – omaba, rice, learner, koskinein, emanuel, abedin, wasser-name, not to mention her thighness … for their crimes against the nation …

I think Trump is the brains behind Trump and he will do as his instincts tell him. Bannon is just one of the other brains he listens to and, then decides for himself how far he will take it. He's very good at playing both sides against the middle. He's grown, as an American and political strategist, immeasurably since the escalator ride. I still trust he knows what he is doing. The one thing that I find disconcerting is the fact that he did not get rid of Obama's holdovers right away. But, maybe he's waiting for Sessions to build all the air-tight legal cases. That is not to say I will be happy with everything he does. I won't. No one will be.

One quibble Robert, Bannon is not the only one flogging the notion that the left will not give up. Rush Limbaugh has been doing it for almost 30 years. At first, he used to laugh at and make fun of their mentally ill antics. Now, as he's seen how their craziness has taken hold of our culture with the advent of Obama, he's been saying incessantly how they must be defeated. Though he doesn't explicitly say in so many words that they are America's worst enemy, he points out in every way possible how they are harming this country and how THEY consider anyone on the right side of the political spectrum their worst enemy. Not radical Islam. Not Russia. Not North Korea. And, definitely not Iran.

Radical Islam may not be the immediate threat, but according to Brigette Gabriel (conservative journalist/speaker) , the Muslim Brotherhood implemented a 100 year plan in 1982 to completely take over the West. It is called "The Project." Google it. Just 35 years into the plan and just look what is happening in Europe. Go to YouTube and type in "Islam in Dearborn Michigan." Also you will see footage of a man driving by Dearborn and showing all of the Muslim businesses. The city is 50% Muslim with the police cheif and city council Muslim. The Muslims are using our own Constitution, laws, and freedoms against us just like they did to bring down Lebanon, once the most prosperous country in the Middle East. Google Brigette Gabriel. You will be shocked! Please pray for our grand and great grandchildren.

Excellent warning! Just have to watch and wait (while ensuring one's personal position the best we can). Where are the helpful UFOs when we need them? I wonder if Aliens understand, IF they exist at all. Could be that what happens on this planet would or might affect "their place" which might cause them to act out of self-interest. Just a conjecture. .

Our first disagreement since the late 70s, well since WTI, Robert. It is not the enemy in his uniform who is the problem, it 's the Fifth Column in "our" uniform. The Republican Party in Congress is Trump's entrenched enemy. It is not the Dirty Dems forcing him to give ground, if that is what he is doing. As every old soldier knows, you have to be able to trust your mates watching your back implicitly. While McConnell surprised and pleased me by triggering the nuke option, it is abundantly clear that the Repubs are actively working to bring Trump down. In the meantime, he has to deal with them almost alone. He did write the Art of the Deal and IMO, he only appears to telegraph his punches. Obnoxious and childish are part of the camouflage. Sow confusion among your enemy. He looked obnoxious and childish from the getgo of the campaign and saw off every nice, acceptable, mature and experienced adult, the RR Party send up against him.I agree with all the rest of your discourse, of course.

I agree with Roger. The enemy is the Fifth Column in "our" uniform. The enemy is also The FOLKS who are failing to follow the principles upon which our country was founded–the principles your philosophical/intellectual mother, Ayn Rand, articulated so well in her fiction and nonfiction.

I still hope President Donald J. Trump is an Objectivist "F.U.C.K.head," but reality screams otherwise.

Trump had the most upside potential to make the changes Ringer readers have longed for. Unfortunately, he's already reversing campaign promises, capitulating to the swamp meisters. On deciding to not label China currency manipulators and its relationship with North Korea, Trump says, "It's not as simple as people would think." Explaining his reversal on the Ex-Im bank, Trump says, “It turns out that, first of all, lots of small companies are really helped, the vendor companies.” On the difficulty repealing Obamacare, he says, “Nobody knew health care could be so complicated." One can hope he'll change again for the right course, but the swamp meisters have a way of managing conformity from all who tread in its wretched stench, despite their campaign promises to the contrary. Being of the .5%, Trump will be no different in the end.

"Trump had the most upside potential to make the changes Ringer readers have longed for".

Nope. Trump never stood a chance to actually change anything meaningfully; he just has the potential to slow the trend toward more and more collectivism. In his own way, Trump is actually a collectivist, too. So, please, don't anybody get their hopes up…..

I'm just glad Trump isn't attempting to take the guns away, because when the Great Collapse finally occurs the Second Amendment is going to come in handy…..

You are so right, RS. Trump is no anarcho-libertarian in a Murray Rothbard or Ron Paul mode, but he was the best hope to stem the tide of Amerikan collapse. The Deep State is well-entrenched, so Trump is finding out that they get their way, regardless of who occupies the Oval Office. He does have good instincts, so I am not jumping to any conclusions yet or writing him off, as I think he can make a difference – particularly in curbing the Cultural Marxists who have destroyed the country from within in the past 100+ years or so. I do agree with RR that it is very important to get the ring leaders of the Dirty Dems in prison now while he has a chance, but many of the Judases reside in the mainstream Republican Party, so never count on them as allies.

I'm still for Trump. I supported Trump for President and I voted for him. And I will do it again. I have no choice. When placing him up against the other Republicans, whom I like to refer to as "Republicrats", and RJR refers to as "Demopublicans", Trump makes them the rest of them look more like para-Radic-Lib types. In other words, as George Wallace used to refer to all of them as "Tweetle Dees and Tweetle Dums". No, I cannot vote for any of the other Republicans again, ever. They, to me, look too Radic-Libish. Just look at Donald Trump. Then look at the Bushes, McCain, Christie, Graham, Dole, Ryan, Kasich, Boehner, McConnell, Santorum, Perry, Cruz, etc., ad nauseum. Yuck! In my book, they are Radic-Libs too. Every one of them. And even if Trump were to turn out to be a total flop, I'll still vote for him the next time around just because he drives the Radic-Libs absolutely bonkers. President Trump needs to keep focused and stay on message and keep pushing extremely hard. This is what the American people voted for in giving him 306 electoral votes, and what these voters expect. This is what I expect. He needs to quit listening to all these numb-skulls who are trying to distract him and put distracting ideas into his head. The Radic-Libs are hoping that keeping President Trump distracted and stonewalled will minimize the "damage" he is causing. It seems to have started immediately after the election when he sat down with Nobama and allowed him to start hammering ideas into his head. He is the last one anyone should ever.consult with. I believe too, that he tends run off the mouth easily and shoot from the hip, then not follow through on what he previously said. In the campaign he was going to have Hillary prosecuted for her crimes, only later to say he doesn't want to hurt the Clintons. He promised a wall that Mexico will have to pay for. Now that is off the table and probably the bill for it is going to be laid on the laps of US taxpayers.

My big concern right now is Trump selling out. I have seen it too many times before. Politicians who are principled, stick to their guns all their political lives, only to end up abandoning their beliefs. It happened with Barry Goldwater. And it happened too with George Wallace, just to name a few. What a shame!

I share your fear that Trump is being co-opted by the environment. The swamp waters rise and the Vampire Squid critters gather around him. Moreover, he is likely to believe the bushwah of his class. For instance, the tax reducers want to reduce taxes on the wealthy pursuant to some trickle-down fantasy. There is no time for that.

Judging by the competency of the rich (whom the government has bailed out of their failures) and that their largess from crony capitalism ends up in leveraged buyouts and other bubble-aceous areas, it is time to give the middle class a direct tax break.

This would give the producing economy (more than the financial) a sharp boost. Prices might rise more quickly, but the Fed would react with higher interest which would allow a reset of the now impotent monetary stabilization tools.

But Trump is being neutered by the Vampire Squid, the banksters, government cronies, and swampsters who surround him and smother any meaningful action with "process" rather than the "product" of good focused legislation.

Trump's response should be short focused legislation introduced by some Congressional friend (if he still has any). For instance, he might change the tax rates on the middle class so that some will be in a no-tax situation and many with substantially less tax. Most important, it must be taken to the people.

In the longer run he can bring in additional legislation lowering corporate rates, encouraging repatriation of jobs, etc., much of which can be offset by eliminating crony-favored deductions of the rich. That should be later. It is important to focus on small bits now. And while the swampsters will try to complicate everything and talk it to death, Trump can go directly to the people with a simple, favorable message. Perhaps something like fireside chats and Perot's "lectures."

If done properly and as soon as possible, he will have enhanced power to drain the swamp in 2018.

I've been enjoying Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame)'s analysis of what's going on as well. A lot of this is coming from the mind of a businessman and master negotiator.
I'm hoping he's loyal to family but not so loyal that he screws up.

Your acceptance of the lack of principles demonstrated by "Laws are made to be broken, and, when all else fails, new rules can be created" translates into lie, cheat, steal and does not reflect any fixed principle which is what you are complaining about Trump doing.
It should be fixed principle always and if you move from it at all, you will be thrown out of office.
Better yet, assume that liars will promise the moon to you from somebody else (stealing), so from the start take away any ability to deliver false promises. The swamp creatures will leave voluntarily to return to petty theft rather than grand larceny since it pays.
Read the original (and still controlling) taxation powers in the Constitution. That there are only "direct" and "indirect" taxes and they MUST be administered in only one way. They have never been repealed, unlike prohibition and slavery, and still rule if "we the people" demanded the return to them. (But that would mean losing some promises like social security, medicare, low tuitions, etc. so good luck with that. See Catherine Austin-Fitts, former HUD secretary, and how no one in the audience would push a button if possible to return to the days of 50 years ago without the War on Drugs because it would mean losing "benefits" and retirement account value.)
This is what we are really up against, the big, bad wolf posing as Santa Claus and the tooth-fairy.

(P.S. If you want to know more and the truth, read "Cracking the Code" by Pete Hendrickson.)

Funny you should mention Jared Kushner, as I was just listening to some guy (from the Bush administration) who teaches at the Kennedy School of Govt. @Harvard (how Left or collectivist does one have to be to be there??) saying that he understands Henry Kissinger (King Globalist of All!) is taking Mr. Kushner under his wing and schooling him in foreign policy matters (meaning Globalism 101). Trump has enemies on all fronts, so despite his good instincts, superior negotiating skills and all, he will find making significant changes to this corrupt State very, very difficult. We are already seeing the seepage of his agenda on display with the Deep State operatives bending his ear and/or seizing control with THEIR agenda. If he is truly able to have a real impact in stemming the tide of Amerikan collapse, he will most assuredly need to play "Hardball" (and not the Chris Mathews libtard pansy version either!). Now is the time to get some of the Dirty Dems (Evil Party) ringleaders locked up, and to be very wary of those acting as his buddies within the Stupid Party (aka Republicans). One last comment RE: Hatch's UTAH seat – Orrin was no real Trump ally either, so having Mittman or someone else in his place will have little effect. Trump is most assuredly a minority "party" regardless of how the Congressional numbers appear on paper.

Our enemy is right here at home. This war stuff is just a distraction. Anybody who has been in a MIddle Eastern war zone for any period of time knows that the goal of pacifying and nation building in Syria is doomed to abject failure. Either the guy guts Obamacare and continues to slash our regulatory bondage, while working on some kind of tax reform, or we are toast. Because not only will we not get another conservative elected any time soon, we will be facing the Millenials and their apparently lust for socialism. Trump has been the only possibility of real change for some time. Foreign entanglements are a waste of energy. (I would give a pass on N Korea, as they represent a potentially existential threat, though the economic chaos and human tragedy are too much to contemplate.)

I just wanna break out of serfdom! This circus is entertaining to be sure, but this entire machine called the federal government is dangerous and inherently evil. I don't trust a single one of 'em – they conspire and maneuver continually to deprive us of life, liberty and any pursuit of property and happiness. "[They] have erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance."

The IRS is totally corrupt, as proven during the 2012 election cycle with the targeting of conservative groups. Unless and until the IRS is totally dismantled permanently and replaced by a VAT there will always be a "swamp" in DC which cannot be drained. Donald Trump may help the economy and America's standing in the world in other ways, but as long as the IRS exists the swamp will never run dry, and the "middle class" will always bear the brunt of the endless "programs" conceived by deceitful politicians.

Robert, you seem to under estimate Trump. You know he is as street smart as they come. He does not trust anyone. And, he is aware that the radical left is TOTALLY against him. He knows that. So, I think he will do what he can to go with his America first message and stay away from globalism.